The blog of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation

A new, interactive map reveals interesting data about broadband adoption rates in communities across the country.

The map describes what it calls “the poverty divide:” data illustrates that wealthier households subscribe to broadband at a rate of 80 to 100 percent, while low-income areas of cities (some which exceed a 50 percent poverty rate) subscribe at much lower rates of 40 to 60 percent.

Produced by The Investigative Reporting Workshop at American University, the map is based on government data collected from 2008-10. It reveals which specific metro areas had the highest and lowest broadband subscription rates and provides insight into why people in certain communities either can’t or choose not to connect.

With respect to broadband subscription rates regionally, it found that “particularly in the West, [it] increased at a rapid clip between 2008 and 2010, while the South has lagged behind the rest of the nation.”

Soon, Knight will release a report analyzing broadband access in Detroit, highlighting what works and what doesn’t for communities trying to increase their digital inclusion rates. The report will provide lessons for other communities trying to digitally connect the 100 million Americans without home broadband access.

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